"Oh listen, all catkin, to a tale of woe.
And never to a wizard with your problem go."

I was hungry and weary. I had hunted all day.
But the mice were in hiding. Birds all winged away.

Now! Wings! are the answer, and magic's the ticket.
I napped as I thought in the shade of a thicket.

So off to a wizard the very next day,
I went with a lizard, the spellcaster's pay.

The miles, there were many, over hill, across moor.
And the lizard complained, right up to the door.

The wizard was waitng for an easy buck.
He saw me coming. It was his good luck.

Rubbing his hands, with a gleam in his eye,
He asked me my business, what would I buy?

"Wings," I exclaimed. "Let's do a deal."
"This lizard's a big one. Really a steal."

He hemmed and he hummed, "Expenses, you know."
But winking and blinking allowed,"Business is slow."

"So the lizard down and a mouse a week,"
"Will give you the wings you came here to seek."

"No way!" I yelled as I jumped on the table.
"The price is too high! It's despicable!"

"A mouse a week is a lot for a year."
"The lizard's enough. Have you got that clear?"

We were nose to nose and eye to eye,
When he finally gave in and said "You'll fly."

So the bargain was struck. The deal was done.
Though the lizard did whine "I'm not having fun!"

"Lo Razza. UP Tazza!" the wizard began,
As he stirred up a mess in an old saucepan.

There was colored smoke curling and a lightening flash.
Then a terrible smell and a thundering crash.

That made me jump straight up...and up some more...
I was flying! I could glide! I could soar!

Above the clouds, beyond the weather,
I could zoom like a jet, or float like a feather.

I looped some loops across the sky,
That's when the TERRIBLE THING caught my eye.

That wily old wizard, oh curse my bad luck,
Gave me wings like an eagle and FEET LIKE A DUCK!

What to do? What to do! I shuddered with fear.
My friends would all laugh. Strangers would sneer.

I returned to the wizard. I was ready to fight.
"Change me back!" I demanded. "THIS ISN'T RIGHT!"

"So soon?" asked the wizard. "Is something amiss?"
He added to cover a snickering hiss.

I just gave him a LOOK. MY best yellow stare.
"Don't trick me again. Don't even dare!"

"Of course." he said smoothly,"Without any delay."
"Good bye and good luck and HAVE A NICE DAY."

So I left with my lizard, refunded as well
And made my way home with this tale to tell.

But the lizard kept laughing as we plodded along.
Was the joke about me? or were his wits really gone.

He sniffled and snorted 'til I turned in my track.
And saw what he saw, all the way back.

DUCKPRINTS on the trail where catprints should be,
Showed the wizard still tricked and bamboozled me!